Avondale (Birmingham) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Avondale
Birmingham Neighborhood
Avondale Mills
Avondale Location in Alabama
Country	United States
State	Alabama
City	Birmingham
Elevation	643 ft (196 m)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	35222
Area codes	205, 659

Avondale is a historic neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama. It started as a "company town" built around a large textile factory called Avondale Mills. The town became official on March 18, 1887. Later, in 1910, it joined the bigger city of Birmingham. Today, Avondale is split into three parts: North Avondale, East Avondale, and South Avondale.

History of Avondale

Early Days and King's Spring

The first people lived near a place called "King's Spring." This spring is now inside Avondale Park. During the American Civil War, a small fight happened near the spring. Soldiers from the Confederate side fired at Union soldiers who were getting water for their horses. A woman named Abner Killough's wife was hit by a stray shot. This is believed to be the only time someone was hurt in Jefferson County during the war.

The spring came out of a cave, which is now closed off. The water then flowed down the middle of Spring Street, which is now 41st Street. This street was once the main shopping area in Avondale.

Avondale Park's Story

Avondale Park was the biggest park in Birmingham for a long time. It was known for its spring-fed pool, a beautiful rose garden, and sports fields. There was also a quiet building called "The Villa" and a large outdoor stage. This stage hosted a huge show in 1931 to celebrate Birmingham's 50th birthday.

The park was also home to the Birmingham Zoo for a while. Back then, the zoo mostly had common animals. But it also had "Miss Fancy," an elephant that used to be in a circus. A local club bought her to promote the city and then gave her to the zoo.

Park's Comeback

Around the early 1970s, Avondale Park started to decline. However, it has since been brought back to life. In 2011, the city of Birmingham spent $2.88 million to fix up the park. In 2013, a local business group helped install free WiFi throughout the park.

Modern Avondale

Starting around 2011, the Avondale neighborhood became a popular spot for food and fun. Many new restaurants, breweries, and music venues opened there. Avondale Park was even used for events during the 2022 World Games.

The neighborhood is also known for its many different religions. You can find Baha'i, Buddhist, and Quaker centers there. There are also many Baptist and Methodist churches, which are common in the region.

Population Information

Avondale was counted as an official town in the U.S. Censuses of 1890 and 1900. In 1890, it had 1,642 people. By 1900, its population grew to 3,060. The town was then added to the city of Birmingham in 1910, so it no longer appeared separately in the census after that. In 1900, there were slightly more males (51.8%) than females (48.2%) living in Avondale.

Photo Gallery

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  Avondale Park

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  Avondale Park

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  Avondale Park

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  Avondale Park

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  Child laborers at Avondale Mills

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  Avondale Mill School

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  Avondale Mill Village

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  Thomas School, Avondale (Birmingham)

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  Avondale Historic District Homes

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  Harmony Street Baptist Church, Avondale (Birmingham)